Finally we'll reach Mirkwood. I'll cut out the spider-scene to focuse on another part of it. So you all know what happens to the Company and the spiders but we don't know what happens meanwhile with Thorin...and someone else :-D
Enjoy!
/
They rode on for four more days and they all could feel the changing around them. Not only the land began to slope up and up but it seemed that a great silence began to draw in upon them. Kate noticed that the birds began to sing less, no more deer was around, not even rabbits were be seen. The sisters rode next to each other with Kili and Fili at their sides.
They arrived the eaves of Mirkwood at afternoon and started to rest beneath a great overhanging of a tree.
„Well, this is Mirkwood. The greatest of the forests of the Northern world. I hope you like the look of it. Now you must send back these excellent ponies you have borrowed", Gandalf explained.
The group started to grumble at him but the wizard was annoyed as he said:"You're fools! Beorn is not as far off as you seem to think, and you had better keep your promises anyway, for he is a bad enemy. Mr Baggins' eyes are sharper than yours, if you have not seen each night after dark a great bear going along with us or sitting far of the moon watching our camps"
That made the girls shiver slightly but he added:"Not only to guard you and guide you, but to keep an eye on the ponies too. Beorn may be your friend, but he loves his animals as his children. You do not guess what kindness he has shown you in letting dwarves ride them so far and so fast, nor what would happen to you, if you tried to take them into the forest"
„What about the horse, then?",Thorin asked and Kate added:"Yes, you don't mention sending that back"
Gandalfs lips curled slightly. „I don't, because I am not sending it"
„What about your promise then?", Thorin grumbled.
„I will look after that. I am not sending the horse back, I am riding it!"
It was by then they knew Gandalf was going to leave them at the very edge of Mirkwood, but there was nothing they could do or say to change his mind and so they all said goodbye.
Kate and Lindsey both hugged him tight and thanked him for everything he had done for them.
He bent down to Lindsey and whispered:"You have great luck with your sister. And the prince. Hold both of them close"
She looked up at him and nodded with a slight smile.
Then he bent down to Kate and whispered:"You're a brave young woman. Protect your sister and keep an eye on the king. Good luck, my dear"
She smiled at him and he turned around to mount his horse.
With a last goodbye and some grumble from the dwarves, Gandalf rode off with Beorns ponies behind.
/
After a sleepless night the Company filled their water bags and Thorin turned around.
„I want you to stay close together and never walk alone away from the path. Lindsey stay with Fili and Kili. I want you in the middle. Kate you come with me"
The sisters exchanged a look and Kate walked up to the front. Thorin leaned in and whispered:"We'll be safe, I promise"
She nodded with a slight smile and the group entered the darkness of Mirkwood.
It was a long, dark and exhausting walk along the path and soon they reached that black enchanted river Beorn had warned them about.
„Perfect and how do we cross that river without swimming...?", Lindsey asked a bit afraid. Fili took her hand and squeezed it lightly, giving her an encouraging smile.
„I think I can see a boat! On the other side of the river...", Bilbo suddenly called.
Kate rolled her eyes. „A boat on the other side won't help us, Bilbo..."
„Maybe we can throw a rope and pull it to us?", Bilbo suggested. He was a bit annoyed for he at least tried to come up with ideas.
„We have those iron hooks here...maybe we can use them?", Ori spoke up now causing all to look at him, making him blush in the dim light of the forest.
Thorin was deep in thoughts before noddin slowly.
„I guess that's the only way...", he finally said and so Ori, Dori, and Balin prepared the rope with the hooks and as they finished it they gave it to Kili and Fili.
„Fili, try your luck", Thorin said and Kate took his hand, holding close to him.
Fili took a step forward and swung the rope. It landed in the water and he drew it back to them.
„That was quite a good one. Just a few feet and you got it!", Bilbo encouraged him and he tried it once again.
„YES! Alright now carefully, it is on the boat. Now let's hope the hook will catch", Bilbo said once again and as they saw the rope was taut Fili pulled more but it was too heavy. Kili, Oin and Gloin helped to pull. Finally they managed to pull the boat to them.
„That was a good pull, it seemed to have been tighten on the other side as well", Bilbo mumbled then he turned to look at Thorin:"Who'll cross first?"
Thorins eyes drifted over his Company.
„I shall. Kate, Lindsey, Fili, Bilbo and Balin. That's as many as the boat will hold at a time. After that Kili, Oin, Gloin and Dori. Next Ori, Nori, Bifur and Bofur. The last should be Dwalin and Bombur"
„I'm always the last and I don't like it", Bombur grumbled.
Thorin could not hold back his anger though he knew it was wrong to bring this up now by saying:"You should not be so fat. As you are, you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don't start grumbling against orders, or something bad will happen to you"
Kate was a bit shocked but didn't say anything. This was definately not the right time. And so they all crossed the river safely until the accident.
Bombur dropped into the river and they all tried to pull him out without going into the water. As they managed it they could see that Beorn had been right. Bombur fell asleep and nothing worked to wake him up.
That night was full of sorrow and fear.
„I shouldn't have said those things to him...", Thorin whispered while Kate held him embraced.
„It's not your fault. He'll be fine again and then we'll laugh about that...have faith, Thorin."
„How's your sister? Is she alright? She looked sick and tired lately"
Kates eyes drifted to the sleeping figure of Lindsey in Filis arms. The young dwarf looked up at Kate and smiled.
„I think she's fine. Fili's caring for her."
„What did Gandalf say to you before he left?", Thorin asked her curiously.
She chuckled and started to play with the braidings she had made.
„That I'm brave and that I should take care of my sister and...to keep an eye on the king"
„It should be me keeping an eye on you out here...", he whispered and his lips found hers in the darkness. They cuddled up and tried to catch some sleep.
/
A few days later Bombur woke up without any memory of what had happened since they left Bag End.
As they told him everything he slowly, very slowly remembered but nearly broke down crying as he heard that there was no food left anymore.
„I won't go on. Leave me here, sleeping and dreaming. At least there was food in my dreams"
Thorin grumbled and pulled him up.
„I won't leave any of you behind. Now be a dwarf and stop whining!"
„Wait, what was that?", Balin suddenly asked and pointed into the forest away from the path.
„What? I can't see anything...", Bilbo mumbled but then they all could see a shimmering light through the trees.
„Seems there are people out in the forest! Maybe they're holding a festival! A festival means food and drinks!", Bofur called and Bombur was on his feet right away.
„So why are we still here? Let's go!", he called and ran out into the forest.
„BOMBUR! NO!", Thorin called and ran after him. Kate, Lindsey and the rest followed behind. They did not care about leaving the path they just wanted to get food.
As soon as they reached the place of lights everything fell silent around them and the lights went out. Pitch black darkness surrounded them and they called each others names, stumbling around. Kate found Thorin and Lindsey. Fili found Kili and soon all had been together again.
„What do we do now?", Dwalin asked.
„We should go back to the path!", Kili called.
„No! We'll stay here. It's too dark, we won't find the path. We should wait until daylight", Thorin commanded and pulled Kate close to him.
It was deep in the night as Balin saw those lights again. Once again the whole group ran towards it but as they reached the place no one was there and all lights went out again.
They cried out in anger and frustration.
„We're too far from the path, Thorin.", Kate whispered and he knew she was right. They could not see each other in that darkness and so he leaned in and whispered:"I'll make sure to bring all of us out of here..."
She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into the soft fur of his coat.
„Are we all together?", Bilbo asked and all dwarved and the girls spoke up to make sure the Company was complete.
They were all very exhausted and so they did not put up a guard and so they were not aware of what happened to two of their Company members.
/
Next time Thorin and Kate woke up still surrounded by darkness.
„Where am I?", Kate called as she was aware that there was a hood over her head.
„Kate? Is..is that you?"
„Thorin? Where are we?"
„SHUT UP!", a strangers voice spoke up and Kate was pushed forward. Soon they came to a halt and the hood was gone from her head. She turned to look around and saw a lot of people. Elves, as she would say.
Thorin was right next to her, and he was angry. Very angry while his eyes were focused on something in front of them. Kate looked up and saw a tall, blonde elf on a throne.
„Thranduil...", Thorin growled and the Elfking gestured his soldiers to bring both of them closer.
„Thorin Oakenshield...what are you doing in my kingdom without a permission?"
„Starving...we're starving", Thorin simply replied.
„That's not an answer."
„It is an answer for it is true!", Kate spoke up now.
„Kate...no",Thorin whispered but she ignored him.
„Where is my sister?!", she added angrily.
Now the Elfking got up from his throne and stepped closer to them.
„And you are...?"
„Kate"
„Kate, from the men-race I suppose. Tell me,Kate...what is a woman from your race doing with someone like...him?", he asked with a contemptuous gesture toward Thorin.
„She's..."
„Ah ah ah, have you lost your good manners during the years? I asked your friend and not you", Thranduil said with a slight smirk on his lips as he saw Thorins eyes narrowing. Kate and Thorin exchanged a look and somehow she knew what to do.
„I'm a friend of him..."
Thranduil circled her, and as he stood in front of her again his hand reached out for her face.
Thorin started to struggle against the soldiers that were holding him.
„Lay a hand on her and I kill you!", he growled causing Thranduil to chuckle.
„Just like I thought. Now I ask you again. What are you doing with him?"
„I won't tell you anything, you racist bastard!", Kate hissed and felt a sharp pain on her face as the Elfking slapped her hard.
„YOU...I KILL YOU!", Thorin called trying to struggle more but got knocked down by a soldier.
„Whatever, tell me why did you and your group attacked my people in the night?"
„We did not attack them...we came to beg because we were starving", Thorin grumbled.
„And where are you friends and...sister...now? What are they doing?"
Thorin kept silent.
Thranduil walked up to Kate again, grabbing her wrist.
„You better answer my questions, Thorin son of Thrain. Or your friend here will be punished"
„I don't know where they are! In the forest, I guess. Starving to death!", Thorin called and his blue eyes wandered from Thranduil to Kate. He could see the red marks on her cheek and hatred crept up inside him again.
„Let her go...", he finally said.
„Letting her go? Oh, no Thorin. I should keep her. She's beautiful.I guess she might be a good slave"
„NO!"
Kate could feel hot tears running down her cheeks, and her thoughts circled around Lindsey. She started to pray that they won't get captured by those filthy elves. She could not believe that those elves were so different than the ones in Rivendell.
Suddenly Thranduil pushed Kate away into Thorins arms and he held her close.
„Lock them up. Give them food and water. But I want them in single cells."
The Elfking walked back to his throne and dropped down on it, looking down at his prisoners.
„And find the rest of them..they can't be far"
And with that the soldiers brought Thorin and Kate into the dungeon. They locked them into single cells across from each other.
They gave them bread, fruits and water and left them alone.
Thorin was angry. Very angry.
Then his heart sank as he could hear Kate crying in the darkness.
/
Hope you liked this one :)